Content Management Interoperability Services (CMIS) is an

open standard An open standard is a standard that is openly accessible and usable by anyone. It is also a prerequisite to use open license, non-discrimination and extensibility. Typically, anybody can participate in the development. There is no single definitio ...

that allows different

content management systems A content management system (CMS) is computer software used to manage the creation and modification of digital content (content management).''Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Content Strategy''. Ann Rockley, Pamela Kostur, Steve Manning. New ...

to inter-operate over the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a ''internetworking, network of networks'' that consists ...

. Specifically, CMIS defines an

abstraction layer In computing, an abstraction layer or abstraction level is a way of hiding the working details of a subsystem. Examples of software models that use layers of abstraction include the OSI model for network protocols, OpenGL, and other graphics libra ...

for controlling diverse document management systems and repositories using

web Web most often refers to: * Spider web, a silken structure created by the animal * World Wide Web or the Web, an Internet-based hypertext system Web, WEB, or the Web may also refer to: Computing * WEB, a literate programming system created b ...

protocols Protocol may refer to: Sociology and politics * Protocol (politics), a formal agreement between nation states * Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state * Etiquette, a code of personal behavior Science and technology ...

Concept

CMIS defines a

domain model In software engineering, a domain model is a conceptual model of the domain that incorporates both behavior and data.Fowler, Martin. ''Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture''. Addison Wesley, 2003, p. 116. In ontology engineering, a d ...

plus bindings that can be used by applications to manipulate content stored in a repository. CMIS provides a

common data model A common data model (CDM) can refer to any standardised data model which allows for data and information exchange between different applications and data sources. Common data models aim to standardise logical infrastructure so that related appli ...

covering typed files and folders with generic properties that can be set or read. There is a set of services for adding and retrieving documents ('objects'). There may be an access control system, a checkout and version control facility, and the ability to define generic relations. Three protocol bindings are defined, one using

WSDL The Web Services Description Language (WSDL ) is an XML-based interface description language that is used for describing the functionality offered by a web service. The acronym is also used for any specific WSDL description of a web service (also ...

and

SOAP Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used ...

, another using AtomPub, and a last browser-friendly one using

JSON JSON (JavaScript Object Notation, pronounced ; also ) is an open standard file format and data interchange format that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consisting of attribute–value pairs and arrays (or other s ...

. The model is based on common architectures of document management systems. The CMIS specification provides an API that is programming language-agnostic, as

REST Rest or REST may refer to: Relief from activity * Sleep ** Bed rest * Kneeling * Lying (position) * Sitting * Squatting position Structural support * Structural support ** Rest (cue sports) ** Armrest ** Headrest ** Footrest Arts and ente ...

and

are implemented in many languages.

Reasoning

Many of the original contributors to the specification believed a simplified and standardized way to access unstructured content across all vendors would increase the adoption of

ECM ECM may refer to: Economics and commerce * Engineering change management * Equity capital markets * Error correction model, an econometric model * European Common Market Mathematics * Elliptic curve method * European Congress of Mathematics ...

products, but only if the standard could remain compatible with existing deployed systems, much the way that ODBC

Open Database Connectivity In computing, Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a standard application programming interface (API) for accessing database management systems (DBMS). The designers of ODBC aimed to make it independent of database systems and operating systems. A ...

did for the relational database market in the 1990s.

History

The initial work of developing the momentum and use cases that led to the CMIS proposal was conducted by the iECM Initiative sponsored by AIIM. This ongoing project to foster interoperability among ECM systems is supported by the collaborative efforts of governmental, commercial, vendor, and consulting organizations. Although initiated by AIIM, CMIS is now administered by

OASIS In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment Adobe Systems Incorporated Adobe Inc. ( ), originally called Adobe Systems Incorporated, is an American multinational computer software company incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in San Jose, California. It has historically specialized in software for the cre ...

Alfresco Alfresco may refer to: * ''Al fresco'', or fresco, a technique of mural painting * Al fresco dining * Alfresco Software, an open-source content-management system * ''Alfresco'' (TV series), a 1980s British television comedy series * ''Al fresco ...

, EMC, eXo,

FatWire FatWire Software was a privately held company selling web content management system A content management system (CMS) is computer software used to manage the creation and modification of digital content ( content management).''Managing Enterprise ...

, HP, IBM, ISIS Papyrus,

Liferay Liferay, Inc., is an open-source company that provides free documentation and paid professional service to users of its software. Mainly focused on enterprise portal technology, the company has its headquarters in Diamond Bar, California, United ...

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation, multinational technology company, technology corporation producing Software, computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at th ...

Nuxeo Nuxeo is a software company making an Open-source software, open source content management system. Corporate history Nuxeo was founded in the year 2000 by Stefane Fermigier. Eric Barroca became the CEO and Director of the management Board in De ...

OpenText OpenText Corporation (also written ''opentext'') is a Canadian company that develops and sells enterprise information management (EIM) software. OpenText, headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, is Canada's fourth-largest software company ...

Oracle An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination. Description The wor ...

, Newgen OmniDocs and

SAP Sap is a fluid transported in xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a separ ...

. The standard is available for public comment at OASIS. OASIS approved CMIS as an OASIS Specification on May 1, 2010. CMIS 1.1 has been approved as an OASIS specification on December 12, 2012. The specification is currently approved as

OASIS In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment There are public discussion lists. The Technical Committee (TC) includes the following organizations:

Adobe Systems Incorporated Adobe Inc. ( ), originally called Adobe Systems Incorporated, is an American multinational computer software company incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in San Jose, California. It has historically specialized in software for the cre ...

, AIIM,

Alfresco Software Alfresco Software is a collection of information management software products for Microsoft Windows and Unix-like operating systems developed by Alfresco Software Inc. using Java technology. The software, branded as a Digital Business Platform is ...

ASG Software Solutions ASG Technologies Group, Inc., doing business as ASG Technologies, is a provider of enterprise information management Enterprise information management (EIM) is a business discipline specializing in providing solutions for optimal use of informatio ...

Booz Allen Hamilton Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (informally Booz Allen) is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., an American management and information technology consulting firm, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in Greater Washington, D.C., wit ...

, Content Technologies,

dotCMS dotCMS is an open source content management system (CMS) written in Java for managing content and content driven sites and applications. Architecture * Java based * API Based Content Store * Hybrid CMS (API First CMS) * Provides " Content as a ...

Ektron Accel-KKR is an American technology-focused private equity firm with over US dollar, $14 billion in total assets under management. The firm invests primarily in middle-market software and technology-enabled services businesses, providing capita ...

EMC Corporation Dell EMC (EMC Corporation until 2016) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and Round Rock, Texas, United States. Dell EMC sells data storage, information security, virtualization, analytics, cloud c ...

, Entropysoft, Exalead, Inc.,

Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments, commonly referred to as Fidelity, earlier as Fidelity Management & Research or FMR, is an American multinational financial services corporation based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was established in 1946 and is on ...

, GX Software, HP, IBM, ISIS Papyrus,

Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washingt ...